By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
Minister of Works (Engr) David Umahi has passed vote of no confidence on SETRACO company handling the East West road construction.
A statement signed and issued by Director (Information) Press &Public Relations Unit, Blessing Lere-Adams, said Umahi expressed his dissatisfaction during the continuous tour of the Nigerian roads from Abuja, through Kogi, Edo, Delta , Bayelsa up to Port Harcourt in Rivers State through East West road to inspect the progress of work on the highway by himself on Tuesday.
“Iam not satisfied with the deplorable state of the highway, still under construction”.
The minister summoned the team to Abuja to come and explain the cause of the road failure.
Speaking to SETRACO contractors, he said, “The gimmicks the contractors are using is excuse of overloading, I am passing A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE on the construction of this road.
“I wont certify anything on this road , the road has failed and it is not acceptable to us. The road is full of pot holes, we have paid over N71b and the road has completely gone down, and the road has been further reviewed from N44b to 144b billion, apart from the beautiful bridge you have built , the road has completely gone down.
“Project manager tell your team to meet me in Abuja on Monday to tell me what has caused the failure on the road, I do not accept it is overloading truck, our roads are not properly being constructed and I demand that these roads must be properly constructed.
“It is a fight that Nigerians must win and Mr. President must win this fight for the sake of the Nigerian people to truly enjoy the dividends of a democratic Government.
“ I have invited all the Directors of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, with their engineers from Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom, they should be able to attend to the small failures and redeem all the places that failed on the road. Also, I will hold a meeting with Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC ) Managing Director this evening to find out how we can collaborate on this road”.
He also discussed with the Edo State Governor that the East West road passed through his state and is causing the traffic jams and hold up.
